Samaraweera lifts Lanka to 452
Kiwis work hard towards recovery:
Chris DHAMBARAGE reporting from Galle
New Zealand made a promising start in their attempt to save the first
Test match by reaching 87 for 2 wickets in their first innings after Sri
Lanka had piled up an imposing 452 runs on the second day at the Galle
International Stadium yesterday.
The New Zealand openers Martin Guptil and Tim McIntosh survived the
initial pace blitz of Nuwan Kulasekera and Thilan Thushara Mirando to
put on 45 runs from ten overs. However Guptil having struck five
boundaries dragged the ball into his stumps while attempting to pull a
short delivery.
Thereafter Sri Lanka managed to claim only one wicket despite
maintaining an all spin attack for most of the time.
Mystery spinner Ajantha Mendis and Muttiah Muralitharan shared 17
overs between them but the New Zealand batsmen were equal to the task as
they were determined to occupy the crease for a long period. The
visitors are now trailing by 365 runs and need a further 165 runs to
avert the follow on mark. Opener Tim McIntosh was batting on 36 having
stroked four boundaries along with the night watchman Jeetan Patel.
Earlier middle order batsman Thilan Samaraweera hit a magnificent 159
to lift Sri Lanka to a formidable 452 runs in their first innings. His
performance had a great amount of significance because this was the
first time he had reached the three figure mark at this venue.
Even then this was Samaraweera’s tenth hundred overall and his sixth
at home which is a clear indication of his talent and potential. His
innings may not be as entertaining or flashy like Tillekeratne Dilshan
but it was built purely on grit and determination.
The 32 year old solid right hander gave a fine exhibition of batting
in a Test match with much ease and confidence as he frustrated the
visitors for nearly six hours with his sound technique backed up by
sheer elegance following the early dismissal of Mahela Jayawardena.
Samaraweera of course was stuck on 97 for quite some time but his
mood completely changed after having reached the century from 223
deliveries inclusive of 15 boundaries. In Jeetan Patel’s next over he
lofted over mid-on for four and six, and then cut four more as the
scoreboard started to race along.
In fact Samaraweera proved his ability to accelerate when the
situation demanded as he needed only 43 balls to move from his hundred
to 150 runs. He really tore apart the New Zealand attack during this
period with a series of boundaries and also put on 86 for the fifth
wicket along with all rounder Angelo Mathews.
Sri Lanka of course lost their last six wickets for the addition of
just 66 runs and their last four for a mere eight runs but by that time
they had crated a great amount of damage to the New Zealand bowlers with
Ian O’Brien and Jeetan Patel both conceding over one hundred runs.
Early morning rain once again washed out the first two hours of play
with the match starting at 12 noon.
SCORECARD
SRI LANKA 1ST INNINGS (overnight 293-3)
T. Paranavitana c McCullum b Martin 00
T. Dilshan b O’Brien 92
K. Sangakkara c Flynn b Martin 08
M. Jayawardene c Taylor b O’Brien 114
T. Samaraweera c Patel b Vettori 159
A. Mathews c McCullum b Vettori 39
P. Jayawardene c Flynn b Vettori 07
N. Kulasekara c McCullum b Martin 18
T. Thushara c O’Brien b Vettori 00
M. Muralitharan c McCullum b Martin 08
A. Mendis not out 00 Extras: (b1, lb2, nb2, w2) 07 Total (all out, 117.4 overs) 452
Fall of wickets: 1-0 (Paranavitana), 2-16 (Sangakkara), 3-134 (Dilshan),
4-300 (M. Jayawardene), 5-386
Mathews), 6-408 (P. Jayawardene), 7-444 (Samaraweera),
8-444 (Kulasekara), 9-452 (Muralitharan), 10-452 (Thushara).
Bowling: Martin 23-5-77-4, O’Brien 21-1-125-2 (nb2, w1), Oram 7-1-25-0,
Vettori 37.4-9-78-4, Patel 24-3-120-0, Ryder 5-1-24-0 (w1).
NEW ZEALAND 1ST INNINGS
T. McIntosh not out 36
M. Guptill b Thushara 24
D. Flynn b Mendis 14
J. Patel not out 06
Extras: (b4, nb3) 07 Total (for 2 wkts, 29 overs) 87
Fall of wickets: 1-45 (Guptill), 2-80 (Flynn).
Bowling: Kulasekara 4-0-21-0, Thushara 8-1-29-1 (nb3), Mendis 11-3-26-1, Muralitharan 6-2-7-0. |